Easiest Optometry School to get into

[RLK]

I'm just curious. Are there easier schools to get into than others. If so, does anyone know which is the easiest or which are easier and which are harder to get into?

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[PLPrincess]

I'm just curious. Are there easier schools to get into than others. If so, does anyone know which is the easiest or which are easier and which are harder to get into?

I would think that Puerto Rico would be the easiest...and going by what everyone has been saying about Berkley I think that one is the hardest.
Most of the other ones I think are based on people's opinions.

 

[ohiostateboy]

The further SE you travel, the easier the admission standards. PR is definitely the easiest, if you speak espanol. NOVA will take anyone with a pulse (and $20000/year ). The $$$ must affect their brains.

 

[RLK]

The further SE you travel, the easier the admission standards. PR is definitely the easiest, if you speak espanol. NOVA will take anyone with a pulse (and $20000/year ). The $$$ must affect their brains.

Have you seen this link?

http://www.opted.org/info_profile2.cfm

The average OAT score for that school is 270. I guess I probably would get into that without taking the test again. I don't know any spanish though, so I guess that won't work.

Is the school in florida any good? Will you be able to pass the boards with an education from there?

 

[ohiostateboy]

RLK, You're right. I know a person that got into PR school, then found out that all the classes were taught in Spanish. He had a heck of a time learning in that environment. It doesn't matter where you go; you're education is what you make of it. So if you try hard, you'll pass boards with any school's curriculum.

 

[cpw]

it is totally true that OD school is what you put into it. UHCO gives you a FABULOUS education, but you're not going to pass boards without studying no matter where you go!! (I have some classmates who tried)

If you go to NOVA you'll get a good education. You will at any OD school.

If your main concern is boards ---get your review books for boards early, start early, study study study... and you'll be fine.

 

[UABopt]

The further SE you travel, the easier the admission standards. PR is definitely the easiest, if you speak espanol. NOVA will take anyone with a pulse (and $20000/year ). The $$$ must affect their brains.

I'm not so sure that I would agree with that statement. Birmingham is pretty deep in the south east, and UAB is amongst the schools with the most stringent admissions requirements. The point is, apply to the schools where you think that you might want to attend. If you work hard, and prove that you have the potential to do great things when you get there you will gain admission.

 

[J.opt]

it is totally true that OD school is what you put into it. UHCO gives you a FABULOUS education, but you're not going to pass boards without studying no matter where you go!! (I have some classmates who tried)

If you go to NOVA you'll get a good education. You will at any OD school.

If your main concern is boards ---get your review books for boards early, start early, study study study... and you'll be fine.

Is the first boards test over the material students go through on their first year? or is there anything on that test that students are not taught in opt school?

Just wondering

 

[r_salis]

Is the first boards test over the material students go through on their first year? or is there anything on that test that students are not taught in opt school?

Just wondering

Boards covers the basic sciences taught in the first two years, some subjects are emphasized more heavily than others -- the breakdown of the number of questions per subjects is on the NBEO website: http://www.optometry.org/part1.cfm . There is nothing on the test that isn't covered somewhere in the curriculum.

I really, really, really don't want to have to take Part I twice.

 

[J.opt]

Part I consists of 435 multiple-choice items administered across three 3.75-hour sessions. Basic Science assesses a candidate's fundamental knowledge and understanding of the scientific principles upon which optometric practice is based so that subsequent mastery of clinical content, both systemic and ocular, can occur.

Sounds like fun

 

[jchod]

RLK, You're right. I know a person that got into PR school, then found out that all the classes were taught in Spanish. He had a heck of a time learning in that environment. It doesn't matter where you go; you're education is what you make of it. So if you try hard, you'll pass boards with any school's curriculum.

All the classes are NOT taught in spanish, in fact less than half. Those that are, have the class notes translated to english for you. All texts and exams are all in enlglish. - for what it's worth. . .

 

[Kristene9]

Just because a school is hard to get into doesn't mean that is sooo much better then some of the others. Like it was said earlier, UAB only has 40 seats and NSU (Oklahoma) only has 26. I think those and Berkley, would be the hardest to get into. And of course both are VERY good schools, but you wont have the experience of all the externships that you would get at PCO or SCCO. NSU has 1 externship and UAB has 2.

 

[futuredoctorOD]

I'm not so sure that I would agree with that statement. Birmingham is pretty deep in the south east, and UAB is amongst the schools with the most stringent admissions requirements. The point is, apply to the schools where you think that you might want to attend. If you work hard, and prove that you have the potential to do great things when you get there you will gain admission.

Has anybody on here actually visited NOVA? That is one school I have a great interest in (Ft. Lauderdale---enough for me ) Pennsylvania's average OAT was like 310.....Is that school on par with NOVA?

 

[ppa93]

Has anybody on here actually visited NOVA? That is one school I have a great interest in (Ft. Lauderdale---enough for me ) Pennsylvania's average OAT was like 310.....Is that school on par with NOVA?

I think PCO is better than NOVA in my opinion.

 

[Kristene9]

I think PCO is better than NOVA in my opinion.

I've gotten the same impression. PCO is a pretty good school. They have a real good patient base and 5 externships. I haven't heard anything that would make me want to go to NOVA. Sorry to be rude.

 

[KwijiboOO]

I've gotten the same impression. PCO is a pretty good school. They have a real good patient base and 5 externships. I haven't heard anything that would make me want to go to NOVA. Sorry to be rude.

Yeah I interviewed at both...Ft. lauderdale was amazing...but I thought it over, would I have time to party? PCO was much more clinical oriented (see patients the first week, not eye exams though) but NOVA is practically 3 years of schooling and last year of externship. I felt that PCO would better prepare you for different situations as well as what you want to do after you graduate (you visit the 4 types of practices during your externship). Also NOVA's not a very diverse place to find pathologies...not as wide as philly.

 

[brendang]

Seeing as an "eye doctor" is an "eye doctor", why not just apply to one of those "easy" medical schools and delve right into an "easy" ophthamology residency? i mean, you guys pretty much want to do the same things, right? Seeing as you can maintain such an amazing lifestyle in optometry with all the benefits of being an eye surgeon, one would be an idiot to do something like medical school + ophtho residency... honestly, that's like a lot of schooling (8-9 depending on where!!!)... if i was you and i wasn't that smart, that's what i'd do as i imagine that optometry school will soon be more difficult to gain entrance into than a midnight soiree at the playboy mansion...

 

[stevec]

I'm not so sure that I would agree with that statement. Birmingham is pretty deep in the south east, and UAB is amongst the schools with the most stringent admissions requirements. The point is, apply to the schools where you think that you might want to attend. If you work hard, and prove that you have the potential to do great things when you get there you will gain admission.

Agreed. SCO and UAB are both great schools in the south (and better than many in the north or elsewhere in my opinion).

RLK, You're right. I know a person that got into PR school, then found out that all the classes were taught in Spanish. He had a heck of a time learning in that environment. It doesn't matter where you go; you're education is what you make of it. So if you try hard, you'll pass boards with any school's curriculum.

That is hilarious. Are you making this stuff up?

 

[PLPrincess]

Seeing as an "eye doctor" is an "eye doctor", why not just apply to one of those "easy" medical schools and delve right into an "easy" ophthamology residency? i mean, you guys pretty much want to do the same things, right? Seeing as you can maintain such an amazing lifestyle in optometry with all the benefits of being an eye surgeon, one would be an idiot to do something like medical school + ophtho residency... honestly, that's like a lot of schooling (8-9 depending on where!!!)... if i was you and i wasn't that smart, that's what i'd do as i imagine that optometry school will soon be more difficult to gain entrance into than a midnight soiree at the playboy mansion...

Who's talking about surgery?

Contrary to your silly opinion, not everyone wants to be an MD, not all optometrists want to perform invasive eye surgery, and not all ODs wanted to go to med school before they decided on OD school.

Oh, and you are not. You're talking about something you obviously have had little experience with.

Good luck to you.

 

[brendang]

Who's talking about surgery?

Contrary to your silly opinion, not everyone wants to be an MD, not all optometrists want to perform invasive eye surgery, and not all ODs wanted to go to med school before they decided on OD school.

Oh, and you are not. You're talking about something you obviously have had little experience with.

Good luck to you.

Why don't you poke your head out of the hole for a second and see what your comrades are up to with respect to lobbying for surgical rights (or wrongs, from my humble MD opinion)... These "few" overzealous optometrists (check out the most recent journal of Opthalmology Times, if you can... free pen lights? anyone?) are affecting your entire practice in question... And according to them, they don't want to be MDs (why would anyone actually go to med school to be able to do surgery any more?) but surgeons... That's really the kicker, isn't it? Unfortunately, your lobbyists are affecting each and every one of you, even the select minority who have, as you say, no interest in surgery... The ship will go down, and unfortunately, you and every other optom will have it handed to you soon enough...

 

[cpw]

you can argue your point without being belligerent ...

For our one "easiest OD to get into" thread, there are 100X more "easiest MD/DO school" to get into threads.

No one in this thread even mentioned surgery....